The Toady Prince
by Ouatic-7
Summary: Sometimes you have to look past the princes to find your toad. JakenXAyumi. Best Jakencentric Romance 2006. Details in profile.


**The Toady Prince**

**By Ouatic-7 AKA Okaasan-7**

**Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the property of the copyright holders who aren't me.**

The girls met up at the foot of the shrine steps, Ayumi coming from one direction, Yuka and Eri getting off the bus. Eri had been to the perfume counter again. Today's choice was especially pungent; it reminded Ayumi of pee, distilled to its deepest essence and then some. But she couldn't say that. "Is that a new scent, Eri?"

"Yes, do you like it? It's from the Kouga Collection, 'Mark!'." Eri giggled, "It's supposed to 'unleash my inner wolf'. Grrrrr! What do you think? Do you think I used enough?" The steep stairs up to the shrine provided a convenient excuse to avoid the question.

* * *

"What's that stench? It smells like that wimpy wolf and his entire mangy pack are pissing all over the shrine steps!"

"Inuyasha! Be nice! I want my friends to like you!"

Once again Jaken was happy not to have been blessed with the canine nose of his awe inspiring master or his master's insignificant brother. Even to his impish nose, the odor was startlingly pungent. Restless at this last appearance of 'Hojou' he peered down the steps. "I believe Eri has purchased a new perfume," Jaken reported back to the Miko.

The Miko turned to her fiancé, "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Eri is notorious for her bad taste. Do you think you can block it out for just a little while? For me? I'll make it up to you later."

Muttering something about "impossible" but whether from fear of appearing weak or the promise of 'later', her hanyou grudgingly agreed.

In the time since the brothers had reached a truce, Jaken had learned much from the Miko. Her techniques of manipulating the half-breed were truly inspiring though not, perhaps, adaptable by himself. Still, it was always a pleasure to see a master at work.

* * *

As always, Ayumi's eye found Hojou first. He looked good today, relaxed. He was standing near Kagome and her platinum haired boy friend under the big tree.

"So, guys, I know you've met Inuyasha," Kagome said. The boy next to her looked away from Kagome's school friends, feigning boredom but Ayumi noticed he always kept a firm grip on Kagome's hand. She didn't see the attraction, really. Sure, Inuyasha was awfully good looking but he was scary, too, like someone on friendly terms with violence. Not that he seemed mean or anything just, somehow, dangerous. Not like Hojou. "We're getting married!"

Eri and Yuka swarmed over the engaged couple, "When's the big day?" "Are we invited?" "Are you quitting school?" Their excitement touched Inuyasha so much his golden eyes became even more luminous and he started to sniffle. But Ayumi's eyes sought Hojou, _How is he taking the news?_ _He's not surprised?_

Hojou said, with all the sincerity of an old and wily toady, "I wish you all the happiness you deserve. I know you two belong together."_ At last, mission accomplished! No more worrying about presents for the Miko, being dismembered by a jealous inu-hanyou or, worst of all, actually having to go on a date with the Miko. _ _Surely, my Lord will allow me to remove this guise, now. _If Inuyasha returned Hojou's handshake a little roughly, well, that was only to be expected in the exuberance of the moment.

When he and his master had developed the guise of a schoolmate to keep tabs on the whenabouts of the Miko it had not occurred to either of them, or at least not to Jaken, that the chosen appearance would be considered attractive by pubescent, human females; pushy, screechy, hormonal human females. _Rin never screeched not even as a teenager; shows the benefits of a proper demonic upbringing. _Thinking of Rin, gone these four centuries and more, always made him a little misty. Jaken sniffled.

* * *

_Shoot, I guess Hojou's more broken up than I hoped. _Kagome was her best friend and Hojou always seemed more interested in her than in any of the other girls so it was natural, because Ayumi was truly a very nice girl, to try to get them together. That's not to say it didn't cause her a few pangs but she wanted her friends to be happy.

She wasn't really sure why she found him so appealing. She hadn't at first but his looks had grown on her. Now she could lose herself in those big, beautiful eyes. Unlike Eri and Yuka, Hojou never had any trouble following her leaps of thought. He was very thoughtful, and always brought Kagome a nice, useful present, suitable for an invalid.

Kagome's mom brought out champagne to toast the engaged couple. Inuyasha sniffed it suspiciously until an older man Ayumi didn't recognize slapped him across the back of the head, "It won't bite, Pup." Did Inuyasha growl? But, at a look from Kagome, he drank.

"Mama, why don't you tell everyone _your_ news?" said Kagome.

Her mother blushed and the stranger moved next to Mrs. Higurashi, not touching but somehow intimate. His cool expression didn't change but he seemed in some way warmed by her presence. "Sesshoumaru, Mr. Nishigawa, and I are getting married," she said. "He's Inuyasha's older brother." This news caused another buzz and everyone toasted the older couple.

Mr. Nishigawa sneezed. He sneezed again. Soon he was sneezing convulsively with tears running down his cheeks. Then Inuyasha sneezed and sneezed again and again. Kagome said something to her Mom and they ushered their menfolk indoors.

_Hojou doesn't seem surprised. He must have already known. But wouldn't he have known about Kagome and Inuyasha, then?_ Ayumi thought. Except for that single sniff, Hojou did not seem at all crushed. Startling herself with her own forwardness, she decided, _Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I will wait around and walk Hojou home._

Mr. Nishigawa was another looker with even prettier hair than Inuyasha, but Ayumi didn't envy the older woman. _I guess it's only natural he reserve most of his conversation for Mrs. Higurashi but I feel_ _he regards us as so many bugs. Ah, well, Hojou was a bit arrogant at first, too. Mr. Nishigawa is also too tall. I'd get a crick in my neck from looking up at him, not like Hojou._

Emerging from the house where the brothers could still be heard sneezing, Mrs. Higurashi hustled Eri off in the kindest way imaginable explaining that dear Inuyasha and Lord Sesshoumaru were allergic to her perfume and to never, ever wear it to the shrine again.

Yuka left with Eri. They plainly expected Ayumi to accompany them but she dawdled, waiting for Hojou. However, courtesy, and the absence of the guest of honor, who could still be heard erupting in the house, drove her to take her leave.

"Oh, look at the time! I better be going," Ayumi excused herself expecting Hojou to do the same. She found herself ushered to the steps while Hojou went inside with Mrs. Higurashi. _I'll wait by his bike; he won't be long._ She walked around the house looking for the bike but it was nowhere to be found.

"I thought that girl would never leave," said Inuyasha, clearly audible through the back window. Ayumi froze.

"You can be so clueless sometimes, Inuyasha," said Kagome. "She was waiting for Hojou."

Ayumi shriveled. _And I thought I was so subtle._ She tried to leave but the message from her brain just wasn't getting to her feet.

"For me?" said a voice Ayumi didn't quite recognize.

"For him?" asked Inuyasha. "But, he's going home with my ass-"

"Inuyasha!" warned Mrs. Higurashi.

"--with my brother like he always does, damned little-" Ayumi heard a dull 'thunk' as if a head had been struck by a wooden object of some kind. "Why you!"

"Inuyasha! Put Mr. Jaken down!" commanded Mrs. Higurashi.

"Tha- tha- thank you, Lady Higurashi," said that same voice Ayumi almost knew.

"And Mr. Jaken, I think you need to explain to Ayumi," continued Kagome's Mom.

_Who is Jaken? Is that Hojou's given name? And why is he going home with Mr. Nishigawa_. The phrase "like he always does" finally penetrated. _Oh, no! Hoj- Jaken and Mr. Nishigawa! But Mrs. Higurashi doesn't seem to mind? _Ayumi's knees failed her and she settled slowly to the ground trying to wrap he mind around the idea of Hoj-- Jaken, Mr. Nishigawa and Mrs. Higurashi.

_Is that the real reason Hojou haunted the Higurashi shrine? Was it always Mrs. Higurashi?_ _And Mr. Nishigawa?_ She gasped quite audibly.

Indoors, Kagome's mom said, "Someone's outside. Mr. Jaken I think you should go check it out."

* * *

Jaken knew that Mrs. Higurashi's commands were second only to Lord Sesshoumaru's. Now, when Mrs. Higurashi told Jaken he needed to 'explain to Ayumi', she meant just let Ayumi down easy in the old traditional way: "...friends ...", "...not that way...", etc. However, being male and perhaps having drunk too much champagne, Jaken understood his orders from Mrs. Higurashi were to reveal his true visage.

This saddened him. Even though Hojou was meant to disappear there was always the possibility of bringing him back if needed. Showing himself to Ayumi was not a step that could be undone and he knew nothing good could come of it. As Hojou, Kagome had always intimidated him as he knew of her vast power and temper. Eri and Yuka were just everyday school girls, no better and no worse than a million others. But with Ayumi he could be himself, _I don't have to pretend an interest in the latest idol and she doesn't always chatter._

_Ah, well, orders are orders._

She became aware of a pair of feet.

"Ayumi?" It was Hojou, of course, looking at her with his big warm eyes. He sat down next to her.

It had been centuries, if ever, since Jaken had been in the position of needing to brush off a girl. _And I really would like to get to know Ayumi better._ _Ah, well, imp and human, old and young, these are not meant to mix._ "Ayumi, I appreciate your ... friendship... but I'm not what I seem. Once you know the real me, well, you probably won't want to know me."

"Maybe you're right. The Hojou I know wouldn't think me so shallow," sniffled Ayumi. "But you should give me a chance."

_Here goes nothing._ Jaken dropped the guise. "See me as I, Jaken, really am!" He waited for the usual squeal of distaste or horror but Ayumi just looked at him the same way she always had. He undid the guise spell again, to make sure. She just looked a bit puzzled at his antics. "Umm, what do I look like?" he asked in tones that tried to assure her he was not actually insane.

"Just like you always do," she said. At his look she went on, "I don't know, maybe 80 centimeters tall, pretty green skin like, like a new bud," she said in a burst of poesy, "big yellow eyes like the moon, and a cute little beak." If it was possible, the moon-like eyes widened. "Why, what do you really look like?"

"I thought I might seem taller and, uh, less green," the imp said.

"If it's any consolation, I think the other girls and kids at school think you are taller and, uh, less green." Daringly, she picked up a small tridactyl hand. Jaken didn't pull away.

"I have to go home but why don't I take you to Wacdnald's Saturday and you can tell me all about Jaken. I'd like to get to know him."

Looking at the soft hand holding his, Jaken cast his mind back over the centuries; how many females, or males even, had invited him to dine with them? Rin and, and ... Aside from sycophants trying to get closer to Lord Sesshoumaru, and Jaken was not entirely innocent of taking what was offered before disposing of the less skilled toady, there was no one, except Rin, until now. Unbidden his tongue spoke, "That would be nice."

THE END

AN: Thanks to Lois McMaster Bujold and _The Vor Game_ for the perfume idea.

AN2: Any resemblance between this story and _The Marking_ by Fenikkusuken is purely coincidental.


End file.
